Watertown accepts NYS fluoridation grant money for upgrade

The following is from the City of Watertown, New York, Agenda, October 3, 2016

September 26, 2016
To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council
From Sharon Addison, City Manager

Subject: Authorizing New York State Master Contract Grant, Drinking Water Fluoridation Project

On September 19, 2016, City Council directed Staff to proceed on the New York State Master Contract Grant for the Drinking Water Fluoridation Project. As stated in the attached report of Water Superintendent Vicky Murphy, the NYS Department of Health has made a State of New York Master Contract Grant available to . the City of Watertown. The funding amount of $15,968.60 will provide the City with financial support to upgrade the City’s current manual fluoride feeding system. All work to install the equipment will be done in-house. Attached for City Council consideration is a resolution authorizing the Master Contract for Grants. Also attached is the full Contract, along with the electronic application.

WHEREAS City Council deems fluoridated drinking water to be of the utmost importance to the citizens and water customers it serves, and

WHEREAS the NYS Department of Health has made a State of New York Master Contract Grant available to the City of Watertown, and

WHEREAS the purpose of this Contract is to provide funding to upgrade the City of Watertown’s current manual fluoride feeding system, and

WHEREAS the entire amount available will fully fund the project with no required match,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Watertown hereby authorizes entering into the State of New York Master Contract Grant, a copy of which is attached and made part of this Resolution, for the amount of $15,968.60 to fund the upgrade of the current manual fluoride feeding system, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City Manager Sharon Addison is hereby authorized and directed to sign the Contract on behalf of the City of Watertown.

Project Summary:

A high-level overview of the project, including the overall goal and desired outcomes.

Drinking Water Fluoridation (Projects less than or equal to $50,000) Component 2: Implementation Projects WATERTOWN CITY OF 07/01/2016 06/30/2017 The overall goal of the project is the upgrade to the equipment, the control component, and increased precision in fluoride dosing. The replacement of diaphragm pumps with peristaltic pumps will provide greater repeatability in dose control. The upgrade to the electronic process control system will increase reliability and serviceability to maintain efficient fluoride dosing. While the laboratory component will allow tighter quality assurance and controls. The current design and dose control are a continuation of the antiquated system performance and fluoride standards. Improvements to the distribution system, changes in water use and a change in the demographics of the City have reduced the daily demands for water complicating the delivery of fluoridated water with the current equipment. Factoring the reduction in the fluoride standard with the availability of the funding opportunity make these improvements a timely occurrence. The population served by the City of Watertown continues to grow, ever expanding the influence of the fluoridation program’s impact upon its customers. Large components of the population served by the City of Watertown are military which typically have a station assignment of 2-3 years. The soldiers and their families are from all over the country and may not have had access to fluoridated water in the past. Due to the young age of the soldiers and their families the exposure to adequate fluoridation is critical to the prevention of dental caries. The narrow window to provide fluoridation to the young soldiers and their families further displays the necessities for optimized dose control.

The heart of any program is being able to efficiently manage components that are necessary to fulfill the objectives. The City desires the continued fluoridation but at the most efficient means available. Balancing economics with water treatment in today’s environment is not only ethical but essential. As the stewards for the City of Watertown’s water supply we are always diligent in the pursuit of improved efficiency and process control. The proposed project will allow the City to obtain these current goals while being flexible to accommodate future demands and changes.